Actuator for hinged closures



July 5, 1938. J. 5. GULLBORG 2,122,570

. AGTUATO R FOR HINGED CLOSURES Filed June 1; 1937 2 She ets-Sheet 1fig/ 1 July 5, 19 8.

J. s. GULLBORG ACTUATOR FOR HINGED CLOSURES Filed June 1, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet J'IIIIIIIA m Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE g 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to actuators for hinged closures. Swingingclosures, such as French windowshatchway covers, screens, ventilatorlifts, and like structures usually have actuators for manipulating themso that the closures may be readily and easily moved to adjustedposition.

It has been found from experience that sometimes French windows and likeclosures are so heavy that they become warped, whereupon it isimpossible to eifect closing tightly enough to ex-- elude rain, snow,sleet and the like. Actuators for such closures are used at the presenttime, but none is capable of ready adjustment to effect tight closing orsealing when the closures are warped.

An object of the present invention is to provide actuators for hingedclosures, which actuators will effect tight sealing orclosing when theclosures are slightly warped.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an actuator for ahinged closure which, in themain, may be manufactured of stamped parts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an actuator forthe lid of a trailer ventilator, which actuator is economical tomanufacture and highly efficient in'use.

The above, other and further objects of the present invention will beapparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the presentinvention, and the views thereof are as follows:

Figure 1 is a fragmental elevational view of a hinged closure, equippedwith an actuator constructed in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmental horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyin the plane indicated by the line IIII of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmental horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyin the plane indicated by the line lI[IIII of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through a trailer ventilatorequipped with an actuator constructed in accordance with the principlesof the present invention.

Figure 5 is a vertical fragmental sectional view, with parts inelevation, taken substantially in the plane indicated by the line V-V ofFigure 3.

Figure 6 is a View, partially in horizontal section and partially inplan, taken substantially in the plane indicated by the line VI-VI ofFigure 5.

Figure 7 is a View, partially in horizontal section and partially inplan, taken substantially in the plane indicated by the line VIIVII ofFigure 8.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional View showing a modified construction ofcertain of the parts.

Figure 9 is a fragmental vertical sectional view, taken substantially inthe plane indicated by the line IXIX of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a fragmental vertical sectional view, taken substantiallyin the plane indicated bythe line X--X of Figure 1.

Figure 11 is a fragmental vertical sectional view, taken substantiallyin the plane indicated by the line XI-XI of Figure 4.

The drawings will now be explained.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the invention is exemplifled in a hinged closure,such as a French window. A frame is indicated at A with the window orsash indicated generally at B. The sash or closure member B is hingedlyconnected to the frame A by hinges I and is adapted to be openedupwardly as viewed in Figures 2 and 3. The sash or closure member B isillustrated as a window carrying a pane or glass C, with top and bottomsash rails 2 and 3 respectively, connected at their ends to stiles 4 and5.

The actuator illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 includes a stampedplate 6 havinga horizontal flange l for attachment to the sill of theframe and a vertical flange 8 attachable to the upright member of theframe, by screws or other suitable attaching means. Between thehorizontal portion of the plate 6 and the vertical flange 8, and betweenthe side margins of the plate, it is cut away forming an opening 9, inwhich is rotatably mounted a worm Ill. The worm I0 is keyed or otherwisefastened to a sleeve II which is of greater length than the worm,projecting from both ends of the worm, as may be observed in Figure 6.

A supplemental plate I2 is fashioned with ears which are bent around theextending end portions of the sleeve II tosecure the sleeve and worm inposition in the plate 6. These portions which are bent around theextremities of the sleeve ll form bearings l3 for the sleeve and worm.Between. the horizontal portion of the plate 6 and the vertical flange8, the plate is curved downwardly at I4, as shown in Figure 1, toreceive portions of the bearings I3 for the sleeve II. The worm Ill isthus supported in the plate with its axis in horizontal position andclosely adjacent the portion. of the frame A to which the verticalflange 8 of the plate is attached.

The horizontal portion of the plate 6 is apertured at 5, thesupplemental plate l2 being apertured to register therewith, forreceiving the lower end of a vertical shaft 25 which is supported in theframe A in parallel relationship to the hinge connections of the sash orclosure member B to the frame A. A stamped gear I! having teeth i8 formeshing with the worm I is pivoted on the shaft i5. The gear I? isincomplete as far as its peripheral portion is concerned, and has atail'extension 18 A lever 19 is apertured to surround the shaft I andrest on top of a portion of the gear I! and its tail portion la Thelever I9 is operatively connected to the tail portion l8? of the gear bymeans of a screw 20 passing through an aperture in the lever andthreaded into the tail 18 ,thus connecting together the gear and thelever for oscillating with the shaft. In order to oscillate the shaft l5in accordance with oscillatory movement imparted to the lever .l9, anysuitable driving connection may be employed.

I The driving connection illustrated consists of two diametricallydisposed slots 2| and 22 formed in the leveradjacent the shaft i5, andthe shaft i5 is apertured to receive a pin 23 which lies in the slots 2|and 22. The pin 23, in addition to connecting the shaft l5 and lever l 9together for oscillatory movement, supports the shaft in verticalposition with respect to the bracket 6. The upper end of the shaft I5 issupported by a stamped bearing including an attaching plate portion 24and a barrel 25 which receive the upper end of the shaft. For a distanceextending downwardly fromthe upper end of the shaft, the shaft isrecessed at 26, to thereby provide a flat surface 21.

Attached to the lower rail 3 of the sash B, is an elongated stampedmetal flanged member 28 arranged with its flange 29 parallel to andspacedfrom the raii 3. This member 28 is secured to the lower rail of.the sash by means of screws 30 or other suitable fastening means.Pivoted to the free end of the lever i9 is a shoe 3| having a J-shapedformation to engage the opposite faces of the flange 29 of the member 28and pass underneath the margin of the flange, as readily observed inFigure 10. The shoe 3| is pivoted to the free end of the lever I9 bymeans of a pin 32, so that play may occur betweenthe shoe and the leverwhen the shoe is moved back and forth along the flange 29 to swing thesash or closure member B to adjusted position.

Attached to the upper rail of the sash B is a similar member 33 having aflange 34 extending along and in spaced relation to the rail, as may beobserved in Figure 9. This member 33 is secured by screws or likefastening means 35.

Keyed or otherwise fixedly secured to the upper end of the shaft, aslight distance below the barrel 25 of the bearing member, is a crank 38which projects along the upper rail of the sash for a short distance. Anupper lever 31 is apertured at one end as at 38 to surround the shaft 85and to have movement relatively to the shaft.

1 The lever 37 carries at its free end a shoe 39,

pivoted thereto by a pin 49. The shoe 39 has a hooded part 4! whichengages over the upper margin of the flange 34 of the member 33 andbears against opposite sides of the flange, as the shoe is moved in use.Means are employed for connecting the crank 36 to the lever 31 indriving relationship.

The means illustrated for accomplishing this purpose compriseupstandinglugs Hand 43 as integral portions of the crank which arelaterally spaced from the side margins of the lever 31. The lever 31' isprovided with upstanding ears 44 and which constitute stops. Threadedinto the ears 42 and 43 are screws or bolts 46 and 4-1, which may beadjusted towards and away from the cars 44 and 45 of the lever toposition the lever in desired angular relationship with respect to thecrank 36, and also to afford driving connection between the crank andthe lever.

The sleeve H which drives the worm II] is fashioned with a polygonalinterior Ha (Figure 6) to receive the correspondingly shaped end of aremovable crank 49. Preferably, the polygonal interior i Id of thesleeve is disposed at the inner end of the sleeve in spaced relationshipto the entrance end thereof, to prevent ready insertion of a tool foroperating the actuator of the present invention to manipulate the sashfrom its adjusted position, by an unauthorized person.

The sash B is moved to adjusted position with respect to the frame byinserting the crank 49 in the sleeve H, with the polygonal-shaped end ofthe crank engaging the interior Ila of the sleeve, whereupon rotation ofthe crank 49 in clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, will causethe sash B to be swung to opened position, that is, with its free marginswung upwardly, as viewed in Figures and 3. When the sash has been movedto desired position, the crank may be withdrawn, whereupon the sashremains in this position until the crank is again applied and the wormrotated to move the gear I! in such direction as will move the sash toanother adjusted position.

It sometimes happens that hinged closures,

such as screens, French windows, screen doors and the like, which aremanipulated by actuators, warp or sag, which warping is especiallynoticeable at the upper outer corner of the closure. When such warpingoccurs, it is well nigh impossible to secure tight sealing between theclosure and its frame. The provision of. the adjustment betweenthe upperlever 3! and the crank 36 takes care of such warping.

Assume that the upper outer corner of the sash B of Figure 1 had warpedoutwardly so that manipulation of the levers l9 and 31 would not. effecttight sealing of the closure against its frame. In this event, thescrews or bolts 46 and r 41 are manipulated as to so angularly adjustthe lever with respect to the crank as to draw the upper outer end ofthe sash tightly against its frame, and thus overcome the effect of thewarped condition of the sash.

The amount of adjustment of the lever 31 with respect to the crank 36depends, of course, on the warped condition of the closure, which suchadjustment is intended to overcome. The lever 31 and crank 36, in Figure2, appear with the parts in normal position. If the closure member B isslightly warped, then the screw bolts 43 and 41 would be adjusted tomove the left hand end of the lever, as viewed in this figure, a slightdis= tance below that shown in the figure, so that when the closuremember is moved against the frame, added pull will be exerted by theshoe which engages the flange 34 of the member 33.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a modification wherein the upper lever 31 andthe upper member 33 are eliminated, and instead of the utilization oftheshaft l5, a pivot pin is employed. In this form of the invention, astamped metal plate 48 is provided with spaced flanges 49 and 50 forattachment to the sill 5| of a closure frame.

The central portion of the plate 48 lies above the flanges 49? and 50.The central portion of the plate 48 is apertured at 52 to receive apivot pin 53*, which pin has a head,54,,a cylindrical portion 55' toclosely fit withinthe aperture 52, and another cylindrical portion 56 ofreduced diameter. This portion of reduced diameter is counterbored andthreaded to receive a screw 51'.

Surrounding the portion 56' of the pinis a gear formed of. twosimilarstamped sections 58 and 58'. The sections 58 and 58' are separatelystamped and then are brought together with their teeth in register andso held, and then centrally bored to form the center opening for thepivot. A horizontally disposed worm 59 is keyed or otherwise secured toa hollow sleeve 60, the ends of which are supported in apertured lugs 6!and 62 turned up from the material of which the plate 48 is made. Theworm 59 is in mesh with the gear composed of the sections 58 and 58 anddesignated generally at E.

A lever 63 of stamped flat metal is apertured to surround the pivot pin53, surrounding the portion of reduced diameter 56 of the pin. The lever63 is secured to the gear D by means of rivets, bolts or like attachingmeans 64 which pass through the lever and sections 58 and 58, thusconnecting the gear and lever together for cooperative action.

For covering the worm 59 and sleeve 60, a cover plate of stamped metal65 has a part overlying the gear D, a part overlying the worm, and ahorizontal flange 66 which rests on top of the flange 58 of the plate48. The cover plate is held in position by screws 61 passing through itand the flange 56 of the plate 48 and entered in the sill 5| of theframe. The screw 51 passes through an aperture in the cover plate and isthreaded into the pin 53. The hollow sleeve 60 which carries the worm 59is provided with a polygonal portion 60' to receive the similarly shapedend of a crank, such as the crank 49, for rotating the worm to actuatethe lever 63.

This form of the invention is utilized in connection with a hingedclosure, where but one lever is sufiicient tooperate the closure.

In Figures 4 and 11, there is illustrated an exempliflcation of theapplication of an actuator of the present invention to the lift of atrailer ventilator. As usually constructed, trailers are provided withventilators in their roofs which, when opened, permit circulation of airfrom the interior of the trailer to the outside. The prob-- lem ofclosing such ventilators, as regards weather conditions, is important.It is necessary to effectively seal such ventilator openings to prevententry of rain, snow and wind to the interior of the trailer.

In this form of the invention, 68 represents a wall built around theventilator opening in the roof of a trailer. Hinged at 68 to the wall isa lid or hinged closure 16 adapted to be moved on its hinge to adjustedposition. Attached to the underside of the lid or closure 16 is anelongated flanged member ll having a flange l2 spaced from the lid 16.Secured to the wall 68, by screws 73 or other fastening means, is aflange M of a bracket. Outstanding from the flange "I4 is a part 15which is provided with outstanding ears l6 and H in which a shaft 18 isrotatably carried. Pinned to the shaft 18 between the ears 15 and 11 isa worm 19.

Supported on a stud 86 carried by the part 15 of the bracket is astamped gear 8|. having a tail piece 82 extending away from the pivot 80in a direction away from the worm. Movable about the pivot 80 is a lever83 which is connected to the tail 82 of the gear by means of a rivet 84,thus connecting the lever and gear in operative relationship. Carried atthe free end of the lever 83 is a shoe 84 having a part engagingopposite surfaces of the flange 12 of the member TI. The shoe 84 ispivoted to the lever 83 by a suitable pin 85 so that relative rockingmovement may occur between the lever and the shoe, as the closure member18 is moved about its hinged connection to the wall 68.

For manipulating the closure member or lid "ill, the shaft 18 isprovided with a hand wheel 86 disposed near the roof of the trailer andwhich may be readily manipulated from the interior of the trailer. Toopen the lid or closure member 70, the hand wheel 86 is turned to theright, whereupon the free end of the lever 83 rises and opens the lid 10about its hinges. To close, the hand wheel is rotated in the oppositedirection, the shoe 84 cooperating with the frame 12 to close the lidagainst the wall 68.

By reason of the construction illustrated and described, the lid orclosure may be tightened against the wall 68 in sealing relation, bygiving the hand wheel 86 an additional turn to the left after theclosure has been seated, whereupon a squeezing effect takes placebetween the closure and the wall. If desired, suitable gasket meansmight be secured to the margin of the wall for engagement by the lidwhen it is in closed position, as an added means for preventing ingressof rain, snow and sleet.

It will be observed that the actuator of the present invention is onewhich, in the main, may be manufactured by stampings, as all of theparts, except the worm, the crank and the worm mounting sleeve, may bestamped from suitable metal, thus reducing the cost of manufacture ofthe actuator. The manner of assembly is simple and can be carried out atminimum expense for labor.

The actuator herein described has proved very eflicient in use, and asmade is rugged and sturdy to withstand all abuse to which such a devicemay be put in service. The provision of two levers applied to the topand bottom rails of a large and heavy closure is an advantage because ofthe fact that the upper lever may be so adjusted as to effect tightsealing of the closure against the frame, should the closure be warped.

The invention has been described herein more or less precisely as todetails, yet it is to be understood that the invention is not to belimited thereby, as changes may be made in the arrangement andproportion of parts, and equivalents may be substituted, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a device of the class described, a frame, a closure hinged to saidframe to swing, a bar of angular section attached by a flange to saidclosure and having a web normal to said closure and another flangeparallel to and spaced from an arm pivoted at one end to said shaft andat its other end carrying a shoe for slidably engaging the flange ofsaid member, a crank fastened to said shaft in driving relation andextending in the direction of the length of said arm, said crank havingright angled ears adjacent and spaced from the margins of said arm, andbolts threaded in said ears and movable endwise towards and away fromsaid arm for adjusting the relative angular relationship of said arm 10and crank.

JOHN S. GULLBORG.

